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Proverbs 16

Holman Christian Standard Bible, 2009 (HCSB)

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¹ The reflections of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. ⓐ

² All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD evaluates the motives. [1] ⓑ

³ Commit your activities to the LORD, and your plans will be achieved. ⓒ

⁴ The LORD has prepared everything for His purpose — even the wicked for the day of disaster. ⓓ

⁵ Everyone with a proud heart is detestable to the LORD; ⓔ be assured, [2] he will not go unpunished. ⓕ

⁶ Wickedness is atoned for by loyalty and faithfulness, ⓖ and one turns from evil by the fear of the LORD. ⓗ

⁷ When a man’s ways please the LORD, He [3] makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. ⓘ

⁸ Better a little with righteousness than great income with injustice. ⓙ

⁹ A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps. ⓚ

¹⁰ God’s verdict is on the lips of a king; [4] ⓛ his mouth should not give an unfair judgment. ⓜ

¹¹ Honest balances and scales are the LORD’s; all the weights in the bag [5] are His concern. ⓝ

¹² Wicked behavior [6] is detestable to kings, ⓞ since a throne is established through righteousness. ⓟ

¹³ Righteous lips are a king’s delight, and he loves one who speaks honestly.

¹⁴ A king’s fury is a messenger of death, but a wise man appeases it. ⓠ

¹⁵ When a king’s face lights up, there is life; his favor is like a cloud with spring rain.

¹⁶ Get wisdom — how much better it is than gold! And get understanding — it is preferable to silver. ⓡ

¹⁷ The highway of the upright ⓢ avoids evil; the one who guards his way protects his life. ⓣ

¹⁸ Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall. ⓤ

¹⁹ Better to be lowly of spirit with the humble [7] ⓥ than to divide plunder with the proud. ⓦ

²⁰ The one who understands a matter finds success, ⓧ and the one who trusts in the LORD will be happy. ⓨ

²¹ Anyone with a wise heart is called discerning, and pleasant speech [8] increases learning. ⓩ

²² Insight is a fountain of life ⓐ for its possessor, but the discipline of fools is folly.

²³ A wise heart instructs its mouth and increases learning with its speech. [9] ⓑ

²⁵ There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. ⓔ

²⁶ A worker’s appetite works for him because his hunger [12] urges him on.

²⁷ A worthless man digs up evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire. ⓕ

²⁸ A contrary man spreads conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. ⓖ

²⁹ A violent man lures his neighbor, ⓗ leading him in a way that is not good. ⓘ

³⁰ The one who narrows his eyes is planning deceptions; the one who compresses his lips brings about evil. ⓙ

³¹ Gray hair is a glorious crown; ⓚ it is found in the way of righteousness. ⓛ

³² Patience is better than power, and controlling one’s temper, [13] than capturing a city. ⓜ

³³ The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD. ⓝ

#	HCSB
1	The reflections of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. ⓐ
2	All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD evaluates the motives. [1] ⓑ
3	Commit your activities to the LORD, and your plans will be achieved. ⓒ
4	The LORD has prepared everything for His purpose — even the wicked for the day of disaster. ⓓ
5	Everyone with a proud heart is detestable to the LORD; ⓔ be assured, [2] he will not go unpunished. ⓕ
6	Wickedness is atoned for by loyalty and faithfulness, ⓖ and one turns from evil by the fear of the LORD. ⓗ
7	When a man’s ways please the LORD, He [3] makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. ⓘ
8	Better a little with righteousness than great income with injustice. ⓙ
9	A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps. ⓚ
10	God’s verdict is on the lips of a king; [4] ⓛ his mouth should not give an unfair judgment. ⓜ
11	Honest balances and scales are the LORD’s; all the weights in the bag [5] are His concern. ⓝ
12	Wicked behavior [6] is detestable to kings, ⓞ since a throne is established through righteousness. ⓟ
13	Righteous lips are a king’s delight, and he loves one who speaks honestly.
14	A king’s fury is a messenger of death, but a wise man appeases it. ⓠ
15	When a king’s face lights up, there is life; his favor is like a cloud with spring rain.
16	Get wisdom — how much better it is than gold! And get understanding — it is preferable to silver. ⓡ
17	The highway of the upright ⓢ avoids evil; the one who guards his way protects his life. ⓣ
18	Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall. ⓤ
19	Better to be lowly of spirit with the humble [7] ⓥ than to divide plunder with the proud. ⓦ
20	The one who understands a matter finds success, ⓧ and the one who trusts in the LORD will be happy. ⓨ
21	Anyone with a wise heart is called discerning, and pleasant speech [8] increases learning. ⓩ
22	Insight is a fountain of life ⓐ for its possessor, but the discipline of fools is folly.
23	A wise heart instructs its mouth and increases learning with its speech. [9] ⓑ
24	Pleasant words are a honeycomb: ⓒ sweet to the taste [10] and health to the body. [11] ⓓ
25	There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. ⓔ
26	A worker’s appetite works for him because his hunger [12] urges him on.
27	A worthless man digs up evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire. ⓕ
28	A contrary man spreads conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. ⓖ
29	A violent man lures his neighbor, ⓗ leading him in a way that is not good. ⓘ
30	The one who narrows his eyes is planning deceptions; the one who compresses his lips brings about evil. ⓙ
31	Gray hair is a glorious crown; ⓚ it is found in the way of righteousness. ⓛ
32	Patience is better than power, and controlling one’s temper, [13] than capturing a city. ⓜ
33	The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD. ⓝ

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